El Masnou, a town in the comarca (county) of Maresme, Catalonia, is closely related culturally and economically to Barcelona. Aside from the nineteenth-century, rustic Mediterranean atmosphere, El Masnou also excels in recreational fishing, sailing, boating, and yachting. The wide beach of El Masnou is home to the Masnou Yacht Club, which is the one of the prominent boating clubs in Catalonia and all of Spain. The Masnou Yacht Club earned its fame by winning at various national and international medal competitions. El Masnou has its own shipyard where ships and fishing vessels are built.

The town evolved with the Barcelona bourgeoisie families who chose El Masnou during the nineteenth century to spend their summer vacations. The influx of the bourgeois also carried with them Barcelonan liberalism and modernism. This liberal culture and lifestyle is still apparent, with some of the old structures like the villas, mansions, and churches.

El Masnou was historically established for its agriculture and fishing industry. To protect the town from marauding pirates, the town built fortification around it. Through time, its population lived off with the tourism of its pristine beaches and fishing communities. El Masnou’s main agricultural products are decorative plants and flowers, especially carnations. Economy is also governed by the manufacturing industry of textiles, ceramics, glass, and pharmaceutical products.

Because of its proximity to Barcelona, El Masnou is favorable town to its residents for settling and visitors for staying. El Masnou is sometimes called the dormitory town of Barcelona; many people who work in Barcelona will reside in El Masnou. The name of El Masnou is a Catalan word for “the new farmhouse.”

Aside from the seaside and maritime adventure and merriment, El Masnou also offers the usual town walkway tours. The old blueprint of the city streets offers the best few of modernist, Neoclassic, and eclectic architecture. Some of these buildings are transformed into the hostels of El Masnou. El Masnou hostels offer a warm, cozy, and comfortable ambiance. Since the town is mostly visited by people from Barcelona, people of El Masnou are always expectant of tourists and other visiting parties. Even though they accept walk-in clients, your visit to an El Masnou hostel could be more efficient if you plan your stay by booking a few weeks before your arrival.